William joseph still



(No Model.)

W. J. STILL.

TRANSMITTER. FOR ELECTRICAL UURRENTS.

Patented Jan. 1, 1895.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

lVILLlAM JOSEPH STILL, OF TORONTO, CANADA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TORANDOLPH MACDONALD, TRUSTEE, OF SAME PLACE.

TRANSMUTER FOR ELECTRICAL CURRENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 531,657, dated January1, 189 5.

Application filed April 5, 1893. S i l No, 469,131. (No model.) Patentedin Canada June 28, 1898,1l-43A08.

T0 ttZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM JosEPH STILL,

electrician, of the city of Toronto, in the v county of York, in theProvince of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and usefulImproved Transmuters for Electrical Currents, of which the following isa specification.

This invention has been patented to me in Canada under date of June 28,1893, No.

Myinvention relates to the transmuting or changing of alternatingcurrent to a constant or continuous current and the object of theinvention is to produce an instrument by :5 which an alternating currentmay be trans muted into a steady or constant current for power purposesor for the charging of accumulators and it consists essentially ofsecuring on a shaft a cylinder of insulating mate- 2o rial around whichis secured metal rings with lateral toothed projections which arearranged to coact with a series 0E brushes by which the alternatingcurrent is changed to a con stant current, the cylinder being rotated bya motor arranged in a fixed relation to the transmuting cylinder and thewhole being constructed in detail and arranged to operate as hereinaftermore particularly explained.

Figure 1, is a perspective view of my trans- 0 muter. Fig. 2, is asectional detail showing the means for adjusting the short circuitingbrush on the transmuting cylinder.

1n the drawings like letters and figures of reference indicatecorresponding parts in each 5 figure.

My invention is more particularly designed for the transmuting orchanging of an alternating current to a constant current where it isnecessary to have such changing done at such a distance from thegenerator that it would be impossible to connect the generator with thetransmuter by any mechanical means.

A, is the main driving spindle journaled at 5 each end in the bearingstandards, A. At one end of the spindle, A, is situated a motor, thearmature, B, of which is composed of the coils, C, of fine wires whichare connected in the usual manner to the commutator, D, se-

cured on the spindle, A.

E, are the brushes which are secured in the holders, F, pivotallyattached to the vertical posts, G. Thebrushes, E, are held against thecommutator, D, by the usual spiral springs f, secured in the holder, F.

H, are field magnets within which rotate the armature, B.

I, is a cylinder of insulating material socured on the opposite end ofthe spindle, A.

J, K, and L, are metal rings which are secured on the cylinder 1. Therings, J, and L, have lateral rectangular toothed projections,j, and Z,which extend inwardly. The projections, j, and Z, are alternatelyarranged on the cylinder, the spaces between the projections, j, beingopposite the projections, Z, and the spaces between the projections, Z,being opposite the projections, j. The metal ring, K, has outwardlyextending lateral projections, 7t, 7;, on each side alternately arrangedand extending into the spaces between the projections, j, and Z,respectively. Into the spaces between the projections, 70, Zn, on eachside of the ring, K, extend the projections y', and Z, respectively. Theprojections, 7.5 j, in the ring, J, the projections, Z, in the ring,

L, and the projections, Z0, 70, in the ring, K, are each of the samewidth, such width being less than the spaces between the projections.The projections in each case also do not extend to the end of the spacesbetween the projections on the adjacent rings. It will consequently beseen that there are strips, m, and n, of insulating material extendingaround the edges of the projections between the rings, J, and K, K, andL, respectively.

M, N, O, P, and Q, are brushes secured in the holders, M, N, O, P, andQ, which are supported. on the sleeve, R, of insulating material throughwhich extends the rod, S. 0 Each of the brushes M, N, O, P, and Q, areheld against the surface of the transmuting cylinder by the spiralsprings, m, n, 0, p, and q.

T, is a short circuiting brush which is supported in the holder, U,which is pivoted on 5 the spindle, a, journaled in the lugs, 11, of thesleeve, V.

s, is an annular groove made in the rod, S, having a worm, 3, cut in it.

the hole in the sleeve, V, and meshing with the worm, s. The insulatingsleeve, R, sur- VV, is an adjusting screw extending through rounding therod, S, is cutaway as indicated in Fig. 2, so as to allow of theadjustment of the sleeve, V. This adjusting screw is designed tocircularly adjust the sleeve, V, 5 upon the rod, S, so as to readilyalter the position of the brush upon the cylinder. The brush is heldagainst the cylinder by the pressure of the spiral spring, a, on thespindle, to, one end of which spiral spring comcs IO forward of theholder as shown.

X, is apinion secured on the spindle, A, on the opposite end to that inwhich the motor is situated and Y, is a starting wheel which is providedwith notches, g, on the face of the rim and jaws y, on the periphery ofthe rim.

Z, is a lever pivoted on the inclined stud, 2, on which the startingwheel, Y, is journaled. The handle, Z, of the lever, Z, is pivoted at e,on the end of the lever and has a dogshaped end, 2, which is designed tofit in between the jaws, y, when it is designed to rotate the startingwheel.

3, is a spring which is secured on the lever,

Z, one end of which presses against the back of the handle, 2, so as tohold the dog, ,2, in between the notch, y.

4:, is a knife secured beneath the lever, Z, and designed to be broughtaround beneath the spring fingers, 5, and 6, of the switch, 7, from theposition shown in dotted lines. The knife, 4, is insulated from thelever, Z, by the insulating plate, 4..

8, is a ratchet wheel secured on the top of 5 the stud, 2, and 9, is adog pivoted on the starting wheel, Y, and held against the teeth of theratchet wheel, 8, by the springs, 10. The starting wheel, Y, and lever,Z, are loose on the stud. It will consequently be seen that when thelever, Z, is brought from the position shown in dotted lines to theposition shown in full lines that the starting wheel will be partiallyrotated and that the dog, 9, will prevent any possibility of thestarting 5 wheel being rotated in the opposite direction when the leveris brought back into the position shown in dotted lines.

When the starting lever is brought around so as to start the machine thepinion, X,

comes opposite to one of the notches, y, and is thus prevented frombeing frictionally affected by the starting wheel when the transmutingcylinder is being driven by the motor.

Having-now described the principal parts of my instrument I shalldescribe the wiring.

11, and 12, are the wires leading from the alternating current generatorto the binding posts, 13, and l t.

11, is a wire leading to the vertical post,

G, from which the current passes through the brushes, commutator andarmatures of the motor out on the wire, 12, which connects with thewire, 12. The wire, 11, leads from the binding post, 13, to the bindingscrew 15,

which extends into the spring finger, G, of the switch, 7. The wire, 11,is continued from the binding screw, 16, which extends into the springfinger, 5,01? the switch, 7, and leads by the branch wires, 11 11", tothe brushes, M, and Q, to the back of which they are secured by thesockets as shown.

17, is a wire leading from the central brush, 0, to the wire, 12, whichis acontinuation from the supplemental wire, 12.

18, is a wire leading from the brush, N, to the binding post, 19, thenceto the motor.

20, is a wire leading from the brush, P, to the binding post, 21, thenceto the motor.

22, is a wire connected to and leading from the wire, 20, to and throughthe lamp, 23, and back by wire 22' to the end of the rod, S, in which itis secured by the binding screw, 6.

The operation of my instrument is as follows: The alternatingcurrentpasses through the wires, 11, and 12. To start the machine thelever, Z, is brought around from the position shown in dotted lines inFig. 1, to the position shown in full lines carrying with it by means ofthe dog .2, fitting into the jaw, 3 the starting wheel, Y. Theperipheral face of the rim of this starting wheel acting upon thepinion, X, will cause it to rotate very quickly and at the same timewill throw the knife, 4 into connection with the spring fingers, 5, and6, of the switch, 7, which will complete the circuit of the wire, 11,through the switch. We will suppose that the current now passes throughthe wire 11., in the direction indicated by the arrow through theswitch, 7, to the brushes, M, and Q. In the position in which thetransmuting cylinder is shown in the drawings the brush, Q, will beidleas it rests upon the ring, L, which is separated from the central ring,K, by the insulating strip, it. The current will, therefore, passthrough the brush, M, strip, J, lateral projectiomj, up through thebrush, N, and down along the wire, 18, to the binding post, 19, to andthrough the motor and back by the wire, 20. This of course will be acontinuous current so as to drive the motorand will pass in thedirection indicated 'by the arrow over the wire. The current will passback from the binding post, 21, alongthe wire, 20, to the brush, P, downthrough the projection, of the ring, K, and up through the centralbrush, 0, thence along through the wire 17, to the wire, 12, and back tothe generator. We will now suppose that the direction of the current ischanged and that it passes through the wire, 12, through the wire, 17,into the central brush, 0, and as the position of the rings have beenchanged so as to move the lateral projections of the rings, L, K, and L,into the position shown in dotted lines, it will be seen that thecurrent coming through the brush, 0, will pass out through the brush, N,down the wire from 0, in the direction indicated by the arrow -that is,the same direction as before out through the wire, 18, through the motorand back through the wire 20, in the same direction, to the bindingpost, 21, thence up through the wire, 20, to the brush, P, and downthrough the brush, P, to the projection, Z, and out through the ring,it, and brush, Q, to the wire,

11, through which it passes out in the opposite direction to thatindicated by the arrow. It will consequently be seen that the currentrunning through the motor will be always in the direction indicated bythe arrow and therefore be constant or continual while the current willalternate over the wires, 11, and 12, such alternations being changedinto the constant current passing over the wires, 18, and 20, throughthe motor by the peculiar construction of the rings, J, K, and L. Thecontinual alternations of the current will take place as the cylinder isrevolved by the motor and the current will be transmuted through thebrushes as hereinbefore described.

It will be noticed in starting my machine that the starting wheel, Y,will cause the spindle, A, to revolve faster than the alternations ofcurrent but immediately upon the current being thrown on the speed willbe reduced so that my transmuter will keep pace with the alternations ofcurrent from the generator.

In order to provide against the sparking of the brushes, N, and P, Iprovide as before described a supplemental brush, T, which is designedto short-circuit the wires, 18, and 20, leading to the motor. The brush,T, is so arranged that it will reach the following projectiomj, beforethe brush, N, has left the preceding projectioinj, of the ring, J, orthe succeeding projection, lo, of the ring, K, before the brush has leftthe preceding projection, 7c, as the case may be, this of coursedepending on the direction of the current or alternations, so that whenthe brush, N, is passing over the insulating strip, m, the cur rentinstead of passing through the brush, N, from the brush, M, will, whenit comes in on the wire, 11, pass through the wire, 11 to the brush, M,ring, J, projection, j, out on the brush, T, holder, U, sleeve, V,adjusting screw, W, rod, S, wire, 22, through the lamp, 23,back by thewires, 22, and 20, to the brush, P, through the projection, ring, K, tothe brush, 0, and out on the wire, 17, to the wire, 12.

If the current is coming in on the wire, 12, and the transmutingcylinder has passed around so as to bring the projection, 7a, of thering, K, underneath the brush, N, and the projection, 71'), of the ring,K, underneath the brush, P, it will be seen that the current will thenbe short circuited through the wire, 12, wire, 17, brush, 0, ring, K,succeeding projection, 70, brush, T, holder, U, sleeve, V, adjustingscrew, W, rod, S, wire, 22, passing through the lamp, 23, back on thewire, 22, to the brush, P, down through the brush, P, to the projection,Z, of the ring, L, through the ring, L, and out through the brush, Q,wire, ll, and wire, 11.

From this description it will be seen thatl have provided an instrumentin which an extremely large voltage may be carried on a small wire froma generator many miles away by an alternating current and the currenttransmuted at the point where it is desired to be used from analternating current to a constant or continuous current.

Although I show a short circuiting brush,

T, it will of course be understood that it will be unnecessary toprovide such a brush it the counter electro-motive force passing throughthe motor is sufficient to prevent sparking, but I prefer to provide thebrush, T, as shown and described.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. The combination with a motor adaptedto be run by an alternating current, of a transmuting cylinder formed ofthree rings insulated from each other and from the central spindle onwhich is located the motor and cylinder and having rectangular,toothshaped lateral projections alternately arranged and designed to fitinto the spaces between the lateral projections of the adjacent ring andmeans whereby the alternating current is conveyed to the rings andtransmuted to a constant current to be conveyed away from the rings asand for the purpose specified.

2. The combination with the motor having the armature and commutatorlocated on the spindle, A, and driven through the alternating currentwires as specified, of the transmuting cylinder comprised of the threerings, J, K, and, L, insulated from the spindle, A, by the insulatingcylinder, 1, and having rectangular tooth-shaped, lateral projections,the projections, j, extending into the spaces between the projections,79, of the ring, K, and the projections, Z, of the ring, L, extendingbetween the projections, 79, of the ring, K, and the projections, 75,ofthe ring, K, extending between the projections, j, of the ring, J, andthe projections, 7;, of the ring, K, extending between the projections,Z, of the ring, L, so as to form rectangular fret-shaped insulatingspaces, m, and, a, between the ring, K, and the rings, J, and, L,respectively, of the brushes, M, N, O, P, Q, and means whereby thealternating current entering the brushes is transmuted by the cylindercomprised of the rings, J, K, and, L, as described and conveyed from thebrushes as constant current as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination with the motor having the armature and commutatorlocated on the spindle, A, and driven through the alternating currentwires as specified, of the transmuting cylindercomprised of the threerings, J, K, and, L, insulated from the spindle, A, by the insulatingcylinder, 1, and having rectangular tooth-shaped lateral projections,the projections, j, extending into the spaces be-' tween theprojections, in, of the ring, K, and the projections, Z, of the ring, L,extending between the projections, 76' of the ring, K, and theprojections, 7a, of the ring, K, extending between the projections, j,of the ring, J, and the projections, it, of the ring, K, extendingbetween the projections, Z, of the ring, L, so as to form rectangularfret-shaped insulating spaces, m, and, it, between the ring, K,

and the rings, J, and, L, respectively, of the brushes, M, N, O, P, Q,and the alternating current wires, 11, and, 12, the wire, 11, beingconnected to the brushes, M, and, Q, so that when the current passesover the wires, 11, in the direction indicated and the brushes, N, and,P, are on the projections, j, and, 7a, the current will pass through thewire, 11, wire, 11 brush, M, ring, J, projection, j, brush, N, over thewires, 18, and, 20, in the direction indicated, back to the brush, P,through the projection, 7;, ring, K, brush, 0, wire, 17, to the wire,12, but when the current is passing over the wire, 12, in the directionindicated and the brushes, N, and, P, are on the projections, 7c, and,Z, of the rings, K, and, L, respectively the current will pass over thewire, 2, in the direction indicated wire, 17, through the brush, 0,ring, K, brush, N, through the wires, 18, and, 20, in the same directionas before, back to the brush, P, through the projection, Z, ring, L,brush, Q, out on the wire, 11", and wire, 11, in the opposite directionas and for the purpose specified.

4. The combination with the alternating current wires 11, and, 12,designed to convey the current through the brushes, M, N, O, P, Q, andcylinder and wires, 18, and, 20, as specified, of the short circuitingbrush, T, arranged to come in contact with the succeeding projection asthe brush, N, leaves the preceding projection of the same ring, thebrush, T, being connected by a short circuiting wire to a substance oflow resistance and finally passing out through the brushes into one ofthe alternating current wires as and for the purpose specified.

5. The combination with the alternating current wires, 11, and 12,designed to convey the current through the brushes, M, N, O, P, Q, andcylinder and wires, 18, and, 20, as specified, of the short-circuitingbrush, T, arranged to come in contact with the succeeding projection asthe brush, N, leaves the preceding projection of the same ring, thebrush, T, being connected through the holder, U, sleeve, V, adjustingscrew, W, rod, S, wire, 22, lamp, 23, brush, P, projection, 7t, ring, K,brush, 0, wire, 17, and wire, 12, and alternately in the oppositedirection through the wire, 12, wire, 17, brush, 0, brush, T, holder, U,sleeve, V, adjusting screw, XV, rod, S, wire 22, lamp, 23, wire, 22,brush, P, projection, Z, ring, L, brush, Q, wire, 11 and wire, 11, asand for the purpose specified.

G. The combination with the transmuting cylinder comprised of the rings,J, K, and, L,

having thelateral proj ections, 7', 7t, and, 7c and, Z, and the brushes,M, N, O, P, Q, arranged as to the alternating current wires and constantcurrentwires as specified and the alternating current motor, of thepinion, X, and means whereby this pinion is partially rotated to startthe transmuting cylinder and at the same time throw into circuit thealternating current wires to the brushes, as and for the purposespecified.

7. The combination with the transmuting cylinder comprised of the rings,.T, K, and, L, having thelateral proj ections y', 7t, and, 7e, and, Z,and the brushes, M, N, O, P, Q, arranged as to the alternating currentwires and constant current wires as specified and the alternatingcurrent motor, of the pinion, X, and starting wheel, Y, having thenotches, 1 cut in the face of the periphery of the lever, Z, anddesigned to partially rotate the starting wheel, Y, and cause thepinion, X, to revolve as and for the purpose specified.

S. The combination with the transmitting cylinder comprised of therings, J, K, and,L, having the lateral projections,j, 7e, and, Z0", and,Z, and the brushes, M, N, O, P, Q, arranged as to the alternatingcurrent wires and constant current wires as specified and thealternating current motor, of the pinion, X, and starting Wheel, Y,having the notches, y, cut in the face of the periphery of the lever, Z,and designed to partially rotate the starting wheel, Y, and cause thepinion, X, to revolve and at the same time bring the knife t, beneaththe spring fingers, 5, and, 6, of the switch, 7, so as to complete thecircuit through the wire, 11, as and for the purpose specified.

9. The combination with the transmitting cylinder comprised of the ring,J, K, and, L, having thelateral proj ections,j, 7c, and, 71;, and, Z,and the brushes, M, N, O, P, Q, arranged as to the alternating currentwires and constant current wires as specified and the alternatingcurrent motor, of the pinion, X, and starting wheel, Y, having thenotches, y, cut in the face of the periphery of the lever, Z, which isprovided with a pivoted handle, ll, designed to fit in between the jaws,y, and partially rotate the wheel and the spring dog, 9, designed tocome in contact with the ratchet wheel, 8, secured to the stud, 2, asand for the purpose specified.

\VILLIAM JOSEPH STILL.

lVitnesses:

B. BOYD, H. H. YOUNG.

